Bronson awarded SAW grant

Wednesday

BRONSON — The Bronson department of public works will soon have a better understanding of the city’s underground stormwater and wastewater systems.

Bronson has been awarded a $1.6 million, state of Michigan Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater grant.

At Monday’s meeting Bronson City Council approved the agreement for services by Prein & Newhof, Michigan civil and environmental engineers, for the project. When the city applied for the grant, several years ago, they paid $5,000 to Prein & Newhof to submit the application with necessary preliminary map work.

The SAW grant covers a three-year project, and by August, summer interns with the firm will assess the condition of the stormwater and wastewater systems and manholes.

“We will pop every manhole lid,” said Dan Lewis, project manger.

A “zoom camera” will travel into the piping, about 50-100 feet, providing an image of its condition.

From that data every pipe is rated with priority going to downtown pipes and more populated areas.

Michael Schwartz said pipes will include those laid in the 1930s and 1950s and made of clay.

The SAW grant covers 100 percent of wastewater assessment, Lewis said, and 10 percent of the stormwater system up to the first million, and 25 percent over that. However, any money they don’t spend on the wastewater assessment will move to the stormwater portion, lowering the city’s cost.

Once the assessment is completed, Prein & Newhof will advise the city on a long term plan to address problems they find. The goal is to keep costs at bay through maintenance measures.

In other business the board looked over a 2018-19 fiscal year budget.

The projected general fund revenue is $1.1 million with expenses at $1.18 million dispersed to:

• Administration — $367,000;

• Police department— $481,000; • Fire department — $16,000;

• Department of public works —$228,000;

• Parks and recreation — $83,000.

Beyond the general fund, other budgets include major streets, local streets, cemetery operations, cemetery perpetual care, cemetery redevelopment, water, water capital improvement, wastewater, 1993 general obligation debt service, wastewater capital improvement, motor pool, motor pool capital improvement, and community development. Funding streams for these are from various federal, state and local sources and taxes.

A more complete budget will be available next month for the council’s approval. The council approved Police Officers Association of Michigan wage re-opener with a 2.5 percent increase for union officers, on par with non-union employees. Bronson Police Chief, Stephen Johnson, introduced the new police officer, Doug Pope, who replaced Officer Scott Olney.

In other business the council approved the purchase of:

• New servers from I.T. Right for the police department at $4,341 and city hall at $2,832.